From the 1950suntil the late 2010s,Max von Sydowwas a ubiquitous presence across many films of various genres, showing there was no part – big or small – that he couldn’t do. If he’d never appeared in any English-language films, he’d still be held in high regard for his collaborations with Ingmar Bergman and appearances in other European films. Similarly,if he’d only shown up in American productions, he’d still have a sizable filmography and his fair share of iconic performances.
The following encompass some of his best work, focusing just on films, and on those where he played a lead role or was a supporting character with a considerable amount of screen time. This will also exclude some of his more well-known performances from later in his career, when he showed up in small roles in big properties (likeStar Wars: The Force AwakensandGame of Thrones).
10’Conan the Barbarian' (1982)
Director: John Milius
Conan the Barbarianis best known for being akey entry inArnold Schwarzenegger’s filmography, with his lead performance being something of a star-making role, but he’s far from the only iconic actor in the film.James Earl Jonesmakes for a great villain in what might be his best performance that’s not just a voice role, and Max von Sydow also makes an impression as King Osric.
Osric helps begin Conan’s quest, with the character seeking vengeance against the man who killed his parents, and Osric wanting someone to rescue his daughter, who’s in the clutches of the same man Conan’s after. Von Sydow isn’t inConan the Barbariana huge amount, but hemakes his screen time count and is suitably commanding a presence as a ruler in this bombastic and extremely entertaining fantasy movie.
Conan the Barbarian (1982)
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9’Shame' (1968)
Director: Ingmar Bergman
WhileShameis a war movie, it’s not specific about what war’s being fought – simply that it’s a civil conflict of some kind that’s making life extra difficult for a married couple living on a farm. It’s the rare kind of war film that’s not science fiction but does have a war that’s not a real one… though much of it is in the background, and what’s more important in Shame is the strained relationship between the two main characters.
Ingmar Bergman liked exploring such conflicts, doing soperfectly inScenes from a Marriage, but also finding ways to investigate such a dynamic in an emotionally intense way inShame. Von Sydow’s co-star is another Bergman regular,Liv Ullmann(who was also later inScenes from a Marriage), and this film lets both of them cut loose and dominate the screen.Their performances are the best reason to watchShame, which can be grueling, but is ultimately rewarding.
Shame (1968)
In the midst of a civil war, former violinists Jan and Eva Rosenberg, who have a tempestuous marriage, run a farm on a rural island. In spite of their best efforts to escape their homeland, the war impinges on every aspect of their lives.
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8’Minority Report' (2002)
Director: Steven Spielberg
It’s a testament tothe quality ofSteven Spielberg’s body of workthatMinority Report, while pretty great, still isn’t one of the filmmaker’s very best efforts. He just has that many outstanding movies, butMinority Reportis still pretty great, taking place in a future where crime can be detected before it’s committed, which can save people but does also lead to would-be perpetrators being punished for things they technically haven’t done.
It’s a film thatstars Tom Cruise as someone working for the Precrime police department, with von Sydow playing the director of that same unit. It’s one of the more well-known American films Max von Sydow starred in, and also one of his best, with him playing this key supporting role well; one that’s ultimately more complex than it initially seems.
Minority Report
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7’Through a Glass Darkly' (1961)
Bringing things back to Bergman,Through a Glass Darklyis one of the Swedish filmmaker’s most stripped-back and emotionally raw films,not to mention one of his best. Itfollows a young woman trying to recover from a psychological breakdown by staying on a small island, with the only other people there being her husband (von Sydow), her father, and her younger brother.
It’ssomething of a Bergman bottle movie, but it works very well, keeping the number of characters down to just four, and thereby leaving no stones unturned when it comes to developing such characters and exploring their dynamics with each other.Through a Glass Darklyisn’t a fast-paced movie by any means, and it can be fairly bleak stuff, too, but it’s self-contained, psychologically engaging, and extremely well-acted all around.
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6’The Emigrants' (1971)
Director: Jan Troell
The Emigrantskicks off animmense epic that was told in two parts, both being over three hours in length. It’sfar from an easy film to watch and/or finish, but it’s staggering and powerful stuff, depicting the perilous journey a Swedish family makes, traveling across the ocean in the middle of the 1800s in search of a more fulfilling and prosperous life in America.
BothThe Emigrantsand its follow-upcan be singled out as the best Swedish films Max von Sydow starred in that weren’t directed by Ingmar Bergman. Anyone watchingThe Emigrantswill likely recognize both him and Liv Ullmann, though, because of their Bergman collaborations; like inShame, they once more play a husband and wife struggling through immensely difficult times.
The Emigrants
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5’The New Land' (1972)
Just as compelling and challenging to watch asThe Emigrants, but for different reasons,1972’sThe New Landconcludes the duologythat the aforementioned 1971 film began.The New Landpicks up with the family having arrived in America, but slowly realizing that life has its own challenges there, with some problems being reminiscent of issues faced back in Sweden, as well as some new difficulties that have to be faced.
There’s no sugarcoating here; no real sense of relief to be found after the main characters reach the destination they spent most ofThe Emigrantsgetting to.The New Landisbrutal, but also feels remarkably honest and authentic, successfully transporting audiences back into a previous century, depicting the ups and downs (mostly downs) of life for those who lived and tried to survive back then.
4’The Virgin Spring' (1960)
It’s difficult to single out just one film as beingIngmar Bergman’s most harrowing/devastating drama, butThe Virgin Springwould have to be considered a contender, in any event. The premise here involves the aftermath of a brutal crime, pulling no punches in exploring how it devastates those who knew the victim, and how it spurs a previously non-violent man to contemplate getting revenge.
It’s the sort of thing that feels dark right from the start, or at least foreboding, all before getting gradually grimmer and more emotionally intense. It’s honestly surprising thatThe Virgin Springwas made so long ago, yet still feels as visceral as it does. It’s one of the more upsetting Max von Sydow films, but showcases him at his best, as his character and his morally difficult journey come fully into focus during the film’s back half.
3’Until the End of the World' (1991)
Director: Wim Wenders
Until the End of the Worldisn’t too far off the runtime ofThe EmigrantsandThe New Landcombined, and is just a single film, too, neverthelessreaching almost five hours in length. It’s a sci-fi/adventure film, but feels more grounded than most of the bigger films that could be described that way. It’s intimate and expansive at the same time, and more interested in characters and building a rich, unique world than telling a story 100% of the time.
Still, the narrative gets more intricate in the final couple of hours, which is where Max von Sydow’s character enters the picture. He plays a man who’s invented a revolutionary device that essentially records dreams/sights, allowing his wife, who’s gone blind, to see again. Von Sydow’s phenomenal when he does appear, butUntil the End of the Worldis also a massive film that has much more to offer. It’s gargantuan, truly ambitious stuff, andmind-boggling how it not only came together,but came together so well.
2’The Seventh Seal' (1957)
Likely the best-known Ingmar Bergman film, and similarly containing one of von Sydow’s most recognizable,The Seventh Sealis a legendary film, and alandmark within the realm of arthouse cinema. It follows a disillusioned man playing a game of chess with a personification of Death, all the while also exploring the hardships of life for various people living during the Black Death.
It’sa drama with fantasy elements, beingheavy-going but still relatively approachable, what with it having a clear narrative on the surface but much deeper thematic stuff to chew on in the background. Von Sydow had been in several movies beforeThe Seventh Seal, but this oneended up being something that helped him get considerably more well-known, not to mention it marked the first (and far from the last) time he collaborated with Ingmar Bergman.
The Seventh Seal
1’The Exorcist' (1973)
Director: William Friedkin
The Exorcisthasits fair share of sequels(and movies it influenced in one way or another), but nothing within the series comes close to touching the original. It’s one of the greatest horror films of all time, centering on a single mother’s desperate endeavor to find out what’s wrong with her daughter, eventually hiring two priests to perform an exorcism, giventhe possibility her daughter’s genuinely possessed by something.
Max von Sydow plays one of these priests, being transformed impressively into an old man. He was in his early 40s when he appeared in the film, but the make-up was convincing enough thatit honestly looked pretty close to how the real von Sydow looked by the time he reached his 70s/80s. He’s fantastic in the film, as is everyone else, withThe Exorcistbeingimmensely influential, understandably parodied, and just an overall shining example of supernatural horror at its absolute best.
